Say the Word
by IlovetowriteSMP
Summary: Carly can't marry Jax when she still loves Jason. COMPLETE.
1. Don't marry her

Author's note- I was going to post a story called A Million Years Gone By next. But since Jax and Carly have now set a date for their wedding I decided to post this short six chapter story about my take on the night before Jax and Carly's wedding and how that might affect Jason.

Chapter One

**Midnight- 12 hours before Carly and Jax's wedding**

Carly started the night in high spirits. The Metro Court was beautifully decorated for the rehearsal dinner. But as the night went on her mood deflated.

And when Luke raised his glass for a final toast it was all she could do to smile.

Looking at Jax, Luke said simply, "Good luck, you'll need it."

Everyone laughed.

Carly chuckled but her mind, and eyes, were on Jason. Something was different about him and Sam tonight. They kept sharing secret looks and her hands constantly reached from him anytime he moved away from her. They had been having problems lately but Carly could see they must have worked it out.

_Good for them, _Carly thought. Her teeth clenched.

She wanted to be happy for Jason, happy for herself. She wanted to be... but she wasn't.

When the party broke up she made her way over to Jason. "Can you come up to the hotel suite I'm staying in tonight. I have a present for you. A little thank you for being my best person."

She could have given it to him tomorrow, before the ceremony. But she

needed, as much as she needed her next breath, to spend more time with him tonight.

Jason could easily read the look in her eye. She was thinking of not going through with this wedding.

_Good_, he thought

"You get the elevator," he told Carly "I'll tell Sam I'll be back in a few minutes."

Carly turned so she wouldn't have to watch him go over and talk to her.

Jax snuck up and wrapped his arm around her waist, "Ready for bed, my soon to be wife?"

She moved out of his arms. In a flat voice she told him, "We can't be together tonight. It's bad luck."

The elevator door opened and she stepped inside, Jason brushed past Jax and joined her.

"See you at the alter," Carly told her fiancee, without enthusiasm, as the door slid closed.

**Jax turned and looked at Sam**, the only other person left in the room, "I think we were just ditched."

Sam said, "Let her have her last few moments with Jason. You get to become her husband tomorrow. You won, Jax."

"Did I?" Jax asked, his voice filled with concern.

**On the elevator, **Jason said to Carly "You can still back out."

Carly gave him a pointed look. "That's no way for my best person to talk. How would you like if I said that to you the night before you were set to marry Sam? If you were still engaged to her, that is."

Jason looked away and that is all it took for her to know. Carly felt her whole body react to the words she knew were coming.

"What? Are you engaged again, Jason? Don't keep secrets from me."

He said, " Sam and I have decided to fly to Hawaii after your ceremony tomorrow. We'll be married on the beach a few days from now."

Her world went dark and she stumbled. Carly reached for Jason.

It took a moment for her to realize it was the elevator jerking to a stop and the lights going out and not her own turbulent emotions that flung her into Jason's arms.

**In the dining room of the Metro **Court, Jax said to Sam "The storm must have caused a blackout. We have emergency generators but it's not safe to use the elevators. We should wait it out here."

"Carly is going to get plenty of alone time with Jason now." Sam pouted

"Jealous?"

"He could be with her if he wanted to. He doesn't."

"You hope."

**Jason said, "You **okay, Car?" He could feel her breath on his ear, her heart pounding against her chest, and where her hand rested on his shoulder radiated heat. There was no better feeling in the world to Jason than protecting this woman.

She moved away. "Congrats."

"What?" he asked, already missing the feel of her against him.

"You're marrying the love of your life, right?"

"Oh, that. Listen, we should call for help. You have your phone?"

"Where would I put it? This ball gown doesn't have pockets."

He groaned."My cell wouldn't even fit in these pockets You just_ had to make me _wear this monkey suit, didn't you? My phone is in Sam's purse."

"Jax will get us out soon."

Jason made a hmpf sound that clearly said "yeah right!"

He told her, "You can count on Jax to save you if you want. But there is no way in hell I ever will." Jason started feeling around for a emergency phone. He picked it up but there was no dial tone.

"It's broken." Carly said

"Figures. Jax spends all day drinking champagne while this place falls apart piece by piece."

"I thought you liked Jax!"

"What gave you that idea?"

Carly plopped down on the floor. "Just sit down and relax. This gives us time to chat."

Jason sat down. "About?"

"How did you propose to Sam?"

"I don't want to talk about that."

"Sam asked you, didn't she?"

Jason didn't answer so Carly said, "Thought so!"

She wondered if Jason had truly moved on from seeing Sam with Ric or was he just trying to make Sam happy by marrying her. He always put others before himself.

A moment passed, Carly tried not to hate Sam for getting her guy. But she did. She really hated her, despised her totally.

Jason said, "I should thank you. We wouldn't have gotten back together if not for your encouragement."

That didn't make Carly feel any better. Everything felt wrong about this.

She was marrying Jax in hours and Jax was not Jason. Simple as that.

Jax was not even her second choice, Sonny had been that, then Lorenzo came next. And yet, Carly figured, she could find some measure of happiness with Jax. That would be enough, she had told herself before tonight. Now it felt like a cruel joke she was about to play on herself.

Carly said, in a rush of words, not thinking but only speaking from her heart. "Don't marry Sam."

"Carly..."

"Marry me." she said


	2. Don't marry him

This fic is pretty short. The updates will be coming at a quick pace so jump in any time with your comments.

**Chapter Two**

Carly had just said, "Marry me." The elevator went deathly silent for a few moments after that and carly realized she could take the words back, laugh, and say "Just kidding, Jase."

But she wouldn't. Carly never joked about loving him.

"Why would you say that, " Jason asked, scooting closer to her in the dark. "tonight of all nights?"

"Because marrying Jax might work, might make me happy and it might last. And if you are honest you will admit that marrying Sam is less than a sure thing for you too. But me and you, Jase, me and you ... if we got married it would work, it would make us happy, it would last. It makes sense."

"Are you drunk?"

"Drunk or sober the facts don't change. But I am not in the mood to beg. So if you tell me to shut up then I will. You can watch me marry Jax. Then I can try to get through my honeymoon not thinking about the fact you are on the other side of the country marrying Sam. And we can pretend this conversation never happened."

"Just don't marry Jax! If you are talking like this, Carly, you are looking for a way out. So call off the wedding."

"Jax loves me. And we do have good times. There is no other man I would want to marry tomorrow...except you, of course."

She waited, sitting next to him in the dark, for him to say something that would change their lives. She longed to move her hand and reach for him. Feel him and know if any of what she said was affecting him.

Jason let out a breath.

Frustrated Carly told him, "But being your wife has never been an option you've offered me. So I guess in the morning I will become Carly Jacks. It has a nice ring to it, huh?"

Each word was said slow, his voice harsh, "He isn't right for you."

"You can't have it both ways! You don't want me but no one else can have me either. Yet you get to be with Robin, Liz, Courtney, Sam. While I should do- what? Because me and Sonny were a nightmare from the get go and you never thought I should be with Lorenzo or Jax. I may love you, Jason, but I will not spend my life alone as punishment for breaking your heart."

At the mention of the unspeakable event his whole body stiffened.

He stood up and pounded on the door. "Hey! Get us out of here."

Softly she said, "If I could take back sleeping with Sonny I would."

"Stop it, Carly."

"Just sit here and be quiet, a good girl, is that what you want? Because you know that's not me."

He banged on the door.

"Sit down, Jase. I'm done. I shouldn't have said anything but, hey, I had to take a shot."

He sat next to her. After a moment he put an arm around her and she leaned her head on his shoulder.

"Don't cry." he whispered

She sniffled. "Don't tell me what to do."

"Oh, Carly." The words were a said in a sad breath. Her pain hurt him as much as her, it always had. "You know I'll do whatever I can to save you. But what you are asking... Sam would be brokenhearted."

"And we can't let that happen." Carly said bitterly

"I'll tell Jax you're backing out. You don't have to face him."

"I am not backing out. I'm marrying him."

"Don't."

"You don't get to tell me that."

A moment passed, Carly thought it was decided. She started to ready her heart for saying I do to another man, probably the wrong man again.

"Marry me." Jason said


	3. Don't play me

**Chapter Three**

Jax paced around the dining room. "Carly won't answer her cell. I'm going to her room."

"I'm coming with you ." Sam said

**In the elevator, a** second after Jason said "Marry me."

Carly said, "Okay."

Because she couldn't say no. She never would to Jason. But the hope lasted only a moment.

Jason quickly moved his arm from around her shoulder. And she went cold. A bone chilling frozenness sunk into her.

Carly laughed, the sound a lonely ache come to life. "Don't worry, I know you are not serious about wanting to marry me."

"I am." He felt around in the dark until he took her hand in his. He slid her engagement ring off her finger.

"Don't play, Jase."

"When have I ever played you?"

"Never. That is why I don't understand this."

"You said you want to marry me and that is the only thing that will stop you from marrying Jax, right?"

"Yes. But what about Sam?"

"Like you _care _if she is hurt."

"But you do." Carly reasoned

"Of course I do."

"Jason! Give me back my ring and stop joking around." She started patting him down but couldn't find the ring. She angrily got to her feet.

"I can not believe this!" she ranted into the dark "How could you? How dare you joke about this! You know how I feel about you! This is low. I would never do something like this to you."

He stood up and took hold of her arm. "I'm not joking. If I have to marry you to keep you from a fourth marriage to the wrong man then I will."

She jerked away from him. "Have to? I waited half my life to hear _If I have to _from you? I thought I would take you however I could get you.

But I guess I was lying to myself because this..._isn't enough_."

She moved close to him, until he was backed against the wall and their bodies were pressed together.

"I wanted it all, Jase. I wanted ..." her lips brushed ever so gently over his. She went to pull away, only wanting to show him what he could have had, when his hand moved behind her head and deepened the kiss.

Jason didn't think about his fiancee waiting for him somewhere in this very hotel, everything with Sam had been strained for a long while, and their engagement was more like a last chance to make it work than a reconciliation.

Instead he let his body take what it craved. Jason deepened the kiss until there was no doubt in Carly's mind he wanted her.

Somehow in the last few years Jason had stopped saying no when he wanted to say yes. And right now he wanted this, her, more than he had ever wanted any other woman.

They didn't speak. That would have risked the moment. They might have stopped unbuttoning buttons and sliding off garments until they were skin to skin. In the pitch black darkness they made love desperately, as if the world would end when the elevator doors slid open.

**Jax used his key to **enter Carly's room. He called her name.

"They aren't here." said Sam "Do you think they headed to the dining room to find us?"

"We would have saw them in the stairwell."

"So? Where are they?"

"Wherever they are, they're together."

"Good. Jason will take care of Carly."

"Sam, how have you survived this long being that naive? Or is it only Jason you can't see the truth about?"

Sam asked, "Don't you trust your fiancee?"

Jax shot back, "Don't you know yours is in love with his best friend?"


	4. Still Friends?

**Chapter Four**

Author's note- Thanks to Dark Princess, Cait ,Charmed, Jen, Zendall 10 and the biggest thanks to JC Morgan and Ashyen for all the great and detailed reviews.

**2 am- 10 hours before the wedding**

Carly wandered how long it would be before the lights came back on. How long would God give her to lay here in Jason's arms with the darkness engulfing them and shutting out the rest of the world?

Already she was fearing having to leave this moment and him. He placed a kiss on her forehead.

She cuddled closer to him. She couldn't speak. What was there to say now? He knew her heart as well as he knew his own.

He knew it all.

Jason said, "It will be hard at first but we can get through this."

Carly's eyes closed. Why was he talking about tomorrow and ruining everything? She only wanted to stop time and let her hands roam over his chest, her lips press to his, to keep him right here, hers, until she could gather enough strength to send him back to Sam.

Because she knew he was going back. He wouldn't break his word to Sam. Carly would have to be the one to lose out this time- again.

"Don't blame yourself, Carly. I did this. I wanted this."

"Shhh, please."

"I'll take the fall when people find out. I'll shelter you from that."

"Okay, Jase. Sure, whatever you say." She moved away from him.

Carly stood and slid back into her clothes. Jason stood and helped her zip up the dress.

He moved aside her hair and said in her ear, "You okay?"

_Why wouldn't I be? This is the best and worst moment of my life, that's all_, Carly thought but she said

"Fine."

He slid on his clothes.

_Jason wants me but not enough to make me his wife_, she thought.

He pulled her back into his arms. She clung to him and, though she tried to stop it, the tears fell.

"Just so you know, Jase, if Sam hurts you again I will have to kill her. Not kick her ass, kill her."

Jason stilled. He backed away from Carly.

Carly said, "Oh, please, at least allow me a little snark about your future wife. She gets you. I think I should get to have my revenge fantasies without you making me feel guilty! As long as you keep quiet about tonight I will to. We can both have our weddings and move on like this..." she nearly choked on the words, "never happened."

"You're still going through with it?

"Aren't you?"

**Jax pried opened **the door of the elevators and screamed, "Carly! You in here?"

Sam said "Do you see the car?"

"It's a few floors down."

"Climb down to it."

Jax turned around. "I don't have any equipment for that, Sam. I'm not spiderman you know."

"Then go get some equipment. Now." Sam pushed past him and yelled into the elevator shaft "Jason!"

**Carly said "The **calvary has arrived."

Jason said, "I'll lift you up and you can open the door at the top of the elevator. Then call up to them."

She followed his instructions and Sam called back "Jax will get you guys out soon. Don't worry!"

Jason called out to Sam "We're fine. We'll wait till the electricity comes on. It will be safer that way."

Sam scowled. She sat down in the hallway to wait for Jax to return.

**Jason brought Carly back down**, her body sliding down over his, his breath quickened.

"I don't think I can be your best person, Carly."

"Don't do this to me, Jay. Come on. I need you. Are you saying we aren't even friends now?"


	5. The moment we kissed

**Chapter 5**

Jason told Carly, "We're...everything. But you can't expect me to watch you marry him."

"Why? I watched you marry Courtney. Do you think I didn't want to be in her place? We don't always get what we want, Jason. You taught me that."

"Bitterness doesn't suit you, Carly."

"Then stop doing things to make me bitter."

His voice rose, "What have I done but love you?"

She screamed "You don't get to say you love me and then marry someone else!"

Even louder Jason said, "Do you really think I can marry Sam now? After tonight? When I love you..."

**Sam heard the last few **lines of their conversation. Her heart constricted in her chest. She took off her necklace and flung it into the elevator shaft.

Jason and Carly heard a clanking sound.

"What was that?" asked Carly "Is the elevator going to fall?"

"No, we're fine. It sounded like someone dropped something."

In the blackness they could not see the door on the top of the elevator was still open.

**Jax came back down the **hall, carrying a flashlight, and saw Sam visually shaking and sobbing.

"Did the elevator fall?" he cried

"Worse." Sam said "The wedding is off."

"Yours or mine?"

"Both, Jax. You were right. We got ditched."

At that moment he couldn't understand what she was saying. He believed, he had to believe, that she was overreacting.

Jax screamed down the shaft, "Carly, I'm coming down for you."

"NO!" Jason and Carly screamed in unison

Jax looked at Sam. "Damn it, what the hell happened while I was gone."

"Just listen." Sam whispered

Jax put on his repelling gear and started climbing down.

**_Carly moved _close **to Jason. Her hand found his face and cupped his cheek.

"You aren't marrying Sam ?You love me, Jase? Still? Again?"

"Did you have a doubt about that? After what just happened between us? You think I would make love to you and be able to go back to Sam. I knew I was through with her the moment we kissed."

"Jase." Carly said, smiling

"So I can't be your best person."

"I forgive you." she said and then kissed him. "Say the word and my wedding to Jax is off."

"Word."

She laughed. "I love you so damn much."

"I love you too much, Carly. That's why this ...it could kill me to lose you again."

"I'm yours, Jase, forever."

**At the same time Carly said those words**, Jax stuck his head through the roof of the car. "Carly..." he said, his voice filled with hurt.

The beam of Jax's flashlight swept over the car. Jason and Carly moved away from each other

"Who is coming up first?" he asked "Are would you two rather be alone?"

"I'm sorry you found out this way, Jax." Carly said

"Not now, Carly. I will not discuss this in front of him."

The lights came back on.

Jason hit the stop button on the elevator so it would not rise with Jax on the roof.

Jax gave them a disgusted look and climbed back up.

"I'm clear!" Jax called down

Sam said, "What happened? What did they say?"

"You were right. It looks like this blackout cost us everything, Sam."

Sam let out of breath, "No..."

**The elevator doors opened **and Jason and Carly stepped off.

"Is it true?" Sam cried "You're leaving me for her?"

Sam didn't wait for an answer she turned to Carly and spat out "You nasty whore."

Jason stepped in front of Carly. "That was uncalled for, Sam. I thought you had more class than that. We need to go somewhere private and talk."

Jason gave Carly one last look and then left with Sam.

Jax said, "I'll say what I have to here and now." He looked at Carly "You tell our guests why the ceremony is off. I won't be around. I'm flying out as soon as I can get my jet fueled."

"To where?"

"Anywhere but where I have to see you."

"I didn't plan to hurt you. I really thought I could be with you and somehow not wish you were Jason."

Jax sighed, he ran his hand through his hair. His eyes flashed with pain as he said, " I knew you could go back to him at some point. He was obviously the most important man in your life. I just hoped you wouldn't. I choose to believe I meant more to you than him. Crazy, huh?"

He waited for an answer but when one didn't come he shook his head, once, and then turned and walked away.

It was then that Carly realized she didn't even have his ring to give back to him because Jason had taken it from her.

Author's Note- One Chapter to go in this fic! It should be posted within a few days.


	6. Say the word

**Chapter Six**

Author's note- Thanks to every person who took the time to leave a review. I really do appreciate it and look forward to reading your thoughts.

**6 am**

**When the sun came up **Jax was flying over the coast of Florida, heading for somewhere tropical, somewhere the noise of tourists would drown out the thoughts in his head.

Next to him, Sam sat in the co-pilot seat. She had his suit jacket thrown over her skimpy dress. She had called him when he was driving toward the airport.

"He did it." she had said "Jason admitted he slept with Carly. I walked out on him."

"It's better to know the truth now, Sam."

"Is it really? I liked living my lie. Didn't you?"

"Yeah, I did. But that's over. I'm on my way to my plane to get the hell out of this town."

"Got room for one more?"

"Meet me at the airport."

Now Jax looked down at the water beneath him, a wave of blue that went on for miles. Then he tore his eyes away and focused on the empty sky in front of him, the water was too beautiful to see when he felt this ugly inside.

**1 pm**

**Jason thought he might feel guilty **the next day because of ending things with Sam. He thought he might feel nervous about things not working out with Carly. But he didn't.

Instead he woke up feeling filled with a soul healing peace, something that he had never experienced before.

He called Carly and left her a phone message telling her to stay home; he would handle going to the church and telling everyone the wedding would not be taking place.

When it was over Jason called Carly again. She was in her living room.

The first words he said was "It wasn't a mistake. Tell me you know that."

"I know that."

Jason smiled. He knew she would say that, deep inside of himself there were no doubts, but it still felt great to hear. He told Carly, "Sam moved out."

"Jax left town."

"Do you need some time alone? Because if not I was hoping I could come over."

"How fast can you get here?"

"Open your front door."

Carly's head spun around and she saw a shadow through the glass of her door. She jogged over and flung it open and then moved into Jason's arms.

"You're here." she whispered happily

"Did you think I could stay away?" Jason asked "How did I go so long without realizing what we could have ?"

"I tried telling you." She took his hand and pulled him inside.

"Yeah, you did."

"And I was right all along."

"Yeah, you were." Jason agreed with a smile.

They sat on the couch together.

"So are you going to listen to me next time?"

"There won't be a next time. This is it, Carly. At least for me. I can feel it."

"Finally!"

Remembering what she had said the night before Jason told her now, "Say the word and I am yours."

As he spoke, he was already pulling her close, loving the way she so easily came into his embrace, without any hesitation.

"Word." she said as his lips crushed into hers.

Carly sometimes wished she was a different type of woman, one who didn't have to fight and claw for everything she got, one who could settle for less and call it perfect. But not today.

Because that thing inside of her that made her keep reaching for more till she got what she knew she deserved had caused her to spill her heart to Jason the night before, to reveal her need one more time.

And at the last possible second Jason caught her, saving her from falling into another wrong marriage, saving her for himself.

"The kids?" Jason asked

"At Bobbie's." Carly said as she unbuttoned his shirt.

She kissed his chest, right over his heart. He pulled her mouth back up to his.

Jason thought, _This was right here waiting for me all this time, this connection, this woman, this love._

She stood up and in one quick motion her dress fell around her feet.

Then she was back on the couch, his lips on his again, and he soon he said "God, it's been too long."

She laughed happily."It's been 12 hours."

"It feels like years." he said, his eyes connecting with hers. His next kiss was so tender tears came to Carly's eyes.

"Jase..." the word was a plea. He knew she meant _Don't ever leave me again._

Jason replied "I'm right here. I couldn't resist you if I tried and I am sick of trying." he kissed her again "I need this as much as you do. I need you forever."

His mouth scorched a path of kisses over her skin until she forgot what she was thinking and could only feel. And what she felt was love- the only version that ever made sense to her- the kind of love that made the word mean more that sex or commitment. It turned a four letter word into eternity.

Jason stilled. He whispered, "You're the one I want to marry."

With that Carly had the last thing she needed to make her world complete.

Because though Jason might have broken his word to Sam only hours before Carly knew that he never would lie to her. He would never say it if he wasn't sure he could go through with it.

Carly forced Jason to sit up and her arms snaked around his back, their bodies were pressed together. His fingers were tangled in her hair.

"Say the word, Jase, and we can be married by the morning."

Those blue eyes that she could never get enough of met hers, and his mouth curved into a smile.

He said, "Word."

THE END

Author's note- Well I am not sure what story I will post next. A Million years Gone By is done but so heartbreakingly sad. I have to think about it more but I will be posting more J and C stories soon.

Thanks for wandering into my fantasy Jason and Carly world. I will always be rooting for these two to find their way back to each other on the show.

Sara


End file.
